Author Archives: Brittany

About Brittany

Hi! I’m Brittany Wilmes, program coordinator at Pear Bureau Northwest. As half of the Communications and PR department at the Pear Bureau, I write about pear pop culture for The Pear Dish—sharing everything pear, from fresh recipes to community involvement to fun décor ideas. Have an article or idea to share? Feel free to email me! In addition to blogging, I’m busy sharing the pear love on behalf of the Pear Bureau Northwest…and eating USA Pears!

Getting Crafty

Brittany By on

Here at Pear Headquarters, we’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of our newest project: a brand-new, interactive website just for kids! Next Tuesday, we’ll be opening Pear World to the public. Visitors will find a colorful, fun collection of pear facts, recipes, games, and more! The new website includes some pretty adorable crafts for little hands, too! Get ready to explore it all next week—and in the meantime, check out our new Pinterest craft board for fun tips and projects! Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn

Congrats, Torin!

Brittany By on

USA Pears is a proud sponsor of cross-country skier and Olympian Torin Koos, and we’re thrilled to congratulate him on his recent successes at the 2013 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. (Can you see his biggest fan perched atop the wall?) Koos took first place in the classic sprint on January 2 and first in the 30 kilometer classic race on January 4 — his first national title in a distance race, and his eighth U.S. National gold. He also took home sixth in the 15 kilometer skate race. Check out this interview to hear Torin’s thoughts on the sport of Nordic ski racing and his history on the slopes. Torin recently shared this fun video with us, filmed on the slopes in Leavenworth, Washington—right near the heart of pear country. Try out this fun Continue reading →

Spinach and Apples (and Pears)

Brittany By on

Number three from Mark Bittman’s 10 Pear Salad Recipes: Spinach and Apple. This fruit-filled salad was such a great blend of flavors, it made me wonder why I don’t make salads at home more often. I ate this for lunch, then dinner, then packed it again for lunch the next day: I couldn’t get enough. It’s a simple salad, with a typical dark greens + fruit + vinaigrette combination, but the fresh rosemary and the blend of fresh fruits make it a standout.   I made this salad with Concorde pears (which will make any salad a winner, in my opinion) and Macintosh apples. The sweet, crisp texture of the pears blended perfectly with the softer, mellower Macintosh. Dressed with a tangy vinaigrette, fresh rosemary, and raisins, this salad is simply satisfying. Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn

Jicama and Pear

Brittany By on

Next up on the list of 10 Pear Salad Recipes by Mark Bittman: Jicama and Pear. I had the ingredients on hand this weekend and was looking for a light side dish to accompany a spice-filled stew, and this fit the bill. Bittman’s version is more heavily dressed, but I needed something crunchy and light to contrast my main dish. I subbed a dash of cayenne pepper for minced chile and added the suggested lime juice. Ole! Concorde pears were a great choice for this dish. Their vanilla-sweet flavor and crisp texture made a perfect match for the similar jicama and the punchy vinaigrette. I tossed the salad with minced basil and parsley because that’s what I found in the crisper, but I would have loved cilantro, too. This sweet salad reminded me of the Jicama Street Snack I devoured Continue reading →

Boston and Bresaola Salad

Brittany By on

Last week, I shared a great article on pears by food writer Mark Bittman. He’s famous for his fresh, simple approach to whole foods, and this roundup of ten (!) pear salad recipes are just that: novel in their fresh interpretations and reassuringly simple. Best of all, in my handicapped opinion, they’re mostly free of strong cheeses. While that ingredient seals the deal for most foodies, my tastebuds disagree vehemently, so I’m always looking for a different savory spin on pear salads. I love these seasonal recipes so much I’ve decided to re-create them in my own kitchen. Recipe inspiration for you, delicious lunch for me! First up: Boston and Bresaola. I admit I had to look up bresaola. It’s a salted, air-cured beef. I couldn’t find any at my local grocer, so I used prosciutto, per Bittman’s suggestion. Combined Continue reading →

Feast Portland

Brittany By on

Last weekend, the big dogs of the food world came to play in Portland, and we were fortunate to be able to celebrate the plentiful produce and culinary creativity of our lovely region with them at Feast Portland. This food-focused festival, which took place in restaurants and event venues across town, was a smashing success, in our humble opinion. (And in the opinion of one not-so-local foodie, Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit!) Here in our hometown, local ingredients were celebrated with gusto: local wines and microbrews, of course, but also hazelnuts, berries, and pears. Widmer Brothers even flaunted the versatility of Oregon’s state fruit (ahem) with the official brew of the weekend, Krystal Pear, a filtered American-style wheat ale fermented with Northwest pears. It was delightful, natch. Feast kicked off on Thursday night with the Sandwich Invitational. We were Continue reading →

New Beginnings with Youth Mentorship

Brittany By on

This week, we have a guest post from Torin Koos, our favorite cross-country skiier! Read on to hear about his latest adventures, from mentoring high school students (who modeled Torin’s Olympic duds in the classroom) to running mountainside in Switzerland. Just as my summer schooling and Canada training camp came to an end, the first days of hopping in Mr. Peck’s classroom and a little running with the Kodiaks of Cascade commenced. Probably few things are better for a high schooler than overnighting with your teammates. I joined the Kodiaks for their first annual team training camp along the shores of Lake Wenatchee. A family opened up their turn-of-the-century homestead for the team to call home. It was a sweet location, with fireroads and dirt trails around to run on, the lake nearby to cool off and relax besides. The Continue reading →

Grilled Pears

Brittany By on

It’s hot here. Really hot. Today’s forecast is a high of 97 degrees in Portland, and I have no air conditioning at home. Last night, as I was whining to my roommate about the heat in our kitchen, all I could think about was ice cream. And although I didn’t have any (but selflessly let her polish off our shared pint), today the perfect combination came to me. As soon as those Bartlett pears are picked in the next couple of weeks, I’m getting my hands on some and making this: It will be divine. Especially if I put a scoop of this on top. Ohhhh yes. Have you ever grilled fruit? What do you put on your grilled pears? Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn

Pearfect Summer Nights

Brittany By on

I’m back with more on the pear décor front, just in time to enjoy these sultry August nights. I’ve seen these elegant candles everywhere from Monterey, CA to Hood River, OR, and generous friends have thought of me when seeing them, too, as my mantel is currently graced with a trio of Vance Kitira “Timber Pears.” They’ve been lined up on a porcelain tray, white-seafoam-white, and while they’re a lovely centerpiece in themselves, I recently thought of a fitting way to fully enjoy them when I can’t enjoy the real thing—a Bosc or Concorde eaten fresh out of hand. Here’s the simple recipe: warm outdoor evening + pear candle + mason jar. It’s romantic, elegant, and easy. I’d love to gather all my closest friends on my backyard deck (sitting on my hypothetical patio furniture) with these dotting the railing Continue reading →

Sweet Scents

Brittany By on

Just as I’m starting to pine for the days of Starkrimson and Bosc pears in my fruit bowl again, I stumbled across some exciting news that has me even more eager for fall! Orla Kiely, London designer of Target collaboration fame, is working with Method this year to develop an exclusive line of fragrant home cleaning products for Target stores. I jumped for joy to hear that among the new scent lineup is pear ginger, which will be available in gel and foaming hand wash as well as dish soap and all-purpose cleaner! Check out this blog post for more details. And mark your calendars! If this launch is anything like previous Target collaborations, these sweet suds will be flying off the shelves. Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn